These are interesting times for prospective England players. The first weeks of the county season have featured hundreds for numerous candidates to bat in the top order, as well as a focus on the wicket-taking exploits of James Anderson, Steven Finn, Graham Onions and Chris Jordan. Yet the process to identify England's next Test spinner remains as inchoate as it was when Graeme Swann announced his retirement in Melbourne on December 22.

Last summer, during their 3-0 Ashes win, England were widely held to have relied on producing slow, abrasive pitches that played to their supremacy in spin and reverse swing; in the final Test at The Oval, two slow bowlers were deployed at home for the first time in four years. Since Swann's final appearance, however, England have tried seven different spinners (including Joe Root and Moeen Ali) in all formats, pressing the pedal in search of revs but unsure which gear to use. The engagements this summer, against Sri Lanka and India, may feature a seam barrage: England's strength, their opponents' weakness.

April was always unlikely to provide a pageant of spin, the damp conditions around the country more suited to a sequence of green shootouts. Northamptonshire, alma mater of Swann and Monty Panesar, used to have a formidable reputation for producing spinning pitches but, during Lancashire's visit to Wantage Road this week, only one wicket out of 40 fell to a slow bowler.

That wicket went to Simon Kerrigan, England's second spinner at The Oval last August. His Test debut was a wretched experience - he conceded 53 runs from eight wicketless overs - but at a time when young spinners are rarely entrusted with significant workloads by their counties, Kerrigan remains a key part of Lancashire's attack and one of the domestic game's bellwethers.

"It's April but you've still got a role to play, whether it's a holding role like today, or bowling at Old Trafford like last week. Eventually the pitch will spin," he said, during the match against Northamptonshire. "It was in favour of the seamers but there's still a role for me to play in the side. I'm an attacking spinner, I like to think when I'm bowling well I can take wickets on any pitch, so just because it's seaming around doesn't mean there's not a role for me in the side."

Kerrigan spent the winter working on his action with Peter Moores, now England's head coach, and John Stanworth at Lancashire, before finishing as joint leading wicket-taker on the Lions' tour of Sri Lanka. In the post-Swann landscape, he says it is "plain to see if you bowl well as a spinner in England at the moment, you're going to be up there for possible selection", although it could be tricky to make that case if pitches and conditions encourage counties to rely on missionary medium pace.

Old Trafford is now one of the few grounds that regularly provides turn, which perhaps gives Kerrigan an advantage. Scott Borthwick, England's most recent Test spinner, has so far bowled 36 overs for three Championship wickets and bats at No. 3 for Durham, so auxiliary is his legspin at Chester-le-Street. Moeen, considered the frontrunner to provide a spin option against Sri Lanka on June 12, has picked up five wickets but only bowled five overs in Worcestershire's win over Derbyshire, on a New Road pitch where Saeed Ajmal claimed a match-winning 8 for 100.

Replacing Swann would have been difficult even in a time of plenty; right now, it could not be harder

Nick Cook, the 2nd XI coach at Northamptonshire who helped to bring through Swann and Panesar at a time when team-mates Jason Brown and Michael Davies were also of interest to England, says that currently "the cupboard is bloody bare of spin bowlers". Cook took 52 wickets in 15 Tests for England and sees many of the current crop in his role as an ECB umpire. He has no easy explanation for how the riches of a decade ago accrued, or what led to them being squandered, but would be "very surprised if England play a frontline spinner" this summer.

"I think it's bloody hard for any young spinner to bowl today, for a number of reasons," he says. "One, there's not many surfaces that turn; they've got to learn how to spin it and bowl it in the right spot but you do need a tad of encouragement. Old Trafford can turn, New Road can turn but only slowly, really. The Oval can turn should the powers that be want that to happen. The biggest question is: who's around?"

Cook's own tip is the Kent offspinner Adam Riley, who has an opportunity to establish himself while James Tredwell - another of England's not-so-magnificent seven - is out of the first team working on the technical side of his game, though the road from county tyro to seasoned international requires plenty of toil.

While spinners must earn their stripes - and possibly their strips - by bowling as many overs as possible in all conditions, Cook believes groundsmen should feel able to "give them something to work with" and says that umpires will not immediately call in the pitch inspectors at the sight of turn on the first day.

"There is scope for the authorities at all the grounds to produce wickets that are going to encourage a spinner," he says. "But it seems to be very much that sides, for whatever reason at the moment, are top heavy in seamers and that's the way they go. They produce a flat, slow wicket with a bit of grass on for the seamers. If England want to get more spinners bowling, perhaps an edict of some description has to come from above."

A suspicion remains that spinning surfaces are more swiftly sanctioned than those that seam - Nottinghamshire avoided a penalty earlier this week despite 33 wickets falling inside the first two days - and the modest successes for slow bowlers over recent years reflect such a dearth. The return of the heavy roller in 2013 seemed to have little effect, with only five spinners managing more than 30 Championship wickets (bonus point for the first person in the comments section to name them). Replacing Swann would have been difficult even in a time of plenty; right now, it could not be harder.

Panesar's form with Essex has not suggested he will get an immediate opportunity to add to his 167 Test wickets, while Borthwick may be considered an unaffordable luxury in an austerity era for England. If Moeen wins a place on the strength of his batting and the tantalising prospect of becoming the first English bowler to master the doosra, then Kerrigan, whose 101 Championship wickets over the last two seasons put him second only to Jeetan Patel, will doubtless remain in the thoughts of the selectors, not least because of his connection with Moores.

He certainly seems to have come through the fire of his Ashes debut. Self-belief renewed after working on his technique, he seems comfortable with the idea that he is still feeling his way, now with tougher, more calloused fingers. Moores' presence with England could provide another lift, though he was confident of being able to impress whoever was appointed - "I feel like if I'd got wickets and bowled well, I'd earn a place anyway" - and his ambition has not been cauterised. Interesting times can also be exciting times.

"I feel like I'm bowling really well at the moment, feel like I'm in good rhythm, feel like I'm enjoying my bowling, which is what I wanted to get back to, not thinking too technical about things. I'm a young spinner, it may be a few years before you figure everything out and maybe you don't, maybe you always keep searching for it. I'm ambitious, I want to play for England again, I want to play a lot of Test matches and get Test wickets, and I want to be part of a successful England side."

@CodandChips - Crikey, you're right... I stopped reading at Cosker. As he was the joker in the pack, you've earned your point.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 18:36 GMT

England will probably play Monty all through this summer, in the absence of anybody better. Borthwick is too expensive and England can't post big enough scores. Ali is merely a part time county bowler and nothing more..he will be pretty ineffective at Test level. Tredwell doesn't spin it enough and Kerrigan may not be trusted again.

RandyOZ
on May 2, 2014, 18:07 GMT

Haha England are awful. The wheels have truly fallen off

Krissyrich83
on May 2, 2014, 16:49 GMT

Agree with salazaar555,Kerrigan is the only frontline spinner with anything like a decent FC record. He can't be judged solely on 8 overs. Ian Salisbury got 15 tests! We're going back to the 90's with these other bits and pieces type spinners that are being suggested..

CodandChips
on May 2, 2014, 16:47 GMT

@AlanGardner thanks but I'm wrong so dont deserve your bonus point

android_user
on May 2, 2014, 13:41 GMT

England IMO should not pick a spinner this summer and should produce green wickets wjich is a weakness of Ind and SL .They dont seem to have a intl quality spinner tbh although I am sure kerrigan can be one in the future.Ali /Root can do the job of the fifth bowler/spinner .

landl47
on May 2, 2014, 12:13 GMT

It depends on what role the spinner(s) is/are expected to play. If the spinner is seen as a vital part of the wicket-taking attack, then the best spinner should play. If England is going to keep producing pitches that don't favour spinners, then the spinner's role is going to be a holding role and a batsman who can bowl economical spin to give the seamers a break is required.

I'm quite surprised that Root isn't mentioned. In the WI he looked a much improved bowler; he's modified his action and bowled a nice variety of speeds with good line and length. He wasn't very well used by Broad (who was?) but he looked at least as good as Ali in the holding role.

Against Sri Lanka and India on English pitches I can't see any spinner taking a lot of wickets. I'd play 4 seamers plus Root. I'd never play Monty outside the sub-continent and frankly to suggest Rashid or Borthwick as test bowlers is a joke. Kerrigan might turn into a test-class spinner, but not this season.

sussexsunrisers
on May 2, 2014, 12:06 GMT

Until one person (hopefully Kerrigan) really puts his hand up for selection, playing a front line spinner could be considered a serious risk. As nrc1979 says, picking a front line spinner does entirely rely on the fitness of Ben Stokes. It will be interesting to see where Ali features should Stokes be fit. One option could be Ali at 6 and Stokes at 8 with one other part time spinner such as Root. However with Trott on a prolonged break, maybe Ali could bat at three and really just feature as a batsman and a sixth bowler. As good as a doorsa can be, this idea that Ali could be a genuine all rounder could backfire if he focuses on his bowling and this adversely impacts his batting.

Iddo555
on May 2, 2014, 10:04 GMT

The only person who could be described as a spin bowler with a 1st class record to warrant a place as a spin bowler is Kerrigan.
The rest are basically people who bat and can throw a bit of very average part time stuff down

Alan_Gardner
on May 2, 2014, 9:54 GMT

Congratulations, statmatt and CodandChips - though, unless you have a photographic recall and memorised all those averages, statmatt, I'd have to guess you looked them up and give the bonus point to CodandChips.

@Alistair Pádraic Gray - Thanks, I'd totally forgotten about Loudon. That line has been tweaked.

Alan_Gardner
on May 3, 2014, 9:56 GMT

@CodandChips - Crikey, you're right... I stopped reading at Cosker. As he was the joker in the pack, you've earned your point.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 18:36 GMT

England will probably play Monty all through this summer, in the absence of anybody better. Borthwick is too expensive and England can't post big enough scores. Ali is merely a part time county bowler and nothing more..he will be pretty ineffective at Test level. Tredwell doesn't spin it enough and Kerrigan may not be trusted again.

RandyOZ
on May 2, 2014, 18:07 GMT

Haha England are awful. The wheels have truly fallen off

Krissyrich83
on May 2, 2014, 16:49 GMT

Agree with salazaar555,Kerrigan is the only frontline spinner with anything like a decent FC record. He can't be judged solely on 8 overs. Ian Salisbury got 15 tests! We're going back to the 90's with these other bits and pieces type spinners that are being suggested..

CodandChips
on May 2, 2014, 16:47 GMT

@AlanGardner thanks but I'm wrong so dont deserve your bonus point

android_user
on May 2, 2014, 13:41 GMT

England IMO should not pick a spinner this summer and should produce green wickets wjich is a weakness of Ind and SL .They dont seem to have a intl quality spinner tbh although I am sure kerrigan can be one in the future.Ali /Root can do the job of the fifth bowler/spinner .

landl47
on May 2, 2014, 12:13 GMT

It depends on what role the spinner(s) is/are expected to play. If the spinner is seen as a vital part of the wicket-taking attack, then the best spinner should play. If England is going to keep producing pitches that don't favour spinners, then the spinner's role is going to be a holding role and a batsman who can bowl economical spin to give the seamers a break is required.

I'm quite surprised that Root isn't mentioned. In the WI he looked a much improved bowler; he's modified his action and bowled a nice variety of speeds with good line and length. He wasn't very well used by Broad (who was?) but he looked at least as good as Ali in the holding role.

Against Sri Lanka and India on English pitches I can't see any spinner taking a lot of wickets. I'd play 4 seamers plus Root. I'd never play Monty outside the sub-continent and frankly to suggest Rashid or Borthwick as test bowlers is a joke. Kerrigan might turn into a test-class spinner, but not this season.

sussexsunrisers
on May 2, 2014, 12:06 GMT

Until one person (hopefully Kerrigan) really puts his hand up for selection, playing a front line spinner could be considered a serious risk. As nrc1979 says, picking a front line spinner does entirely rely on the fitness of Ben Stokes. It will be interesting to see where Ali features should Stokes be fit. One option could be Ali at 6 and Stokes at 8 with one other part time spinner such as Root. However with Trott on a prolonged break, maybe Ali could bat at three and really just feature as a batsman and a sixth bowler. As good as a doorsa can be, this idea that Ali could be a genuine all rounder could backfire if he focuses on his bowling and this adversely impacts his batting.

Iddo555
on May 2, 2014, 10:04 GMT

The only person who could be described as a spin bowler with a 1st class record to warrant a place as a spin bowler is Kerrigan.
The rest are basically people who bat and can throw a bit of very average part time stuff down

Alan_Gardner
on May 2, 2014, 9:54 GMT

Congratulations, statmatt and CodandChips - though, unless you have a photographic recall and memorised all those averages, statmatt, I'd have to guess you looked them up and give the bonus point to CodandChips.

@Alistair Pádraic Gray - Thanks, I'd totally forgotten about Loudon. That line has been tweaked.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 9:30 GMT

One person not mentioned here is Adil Rashid, who has been bowling and batting well for Yorkshire over the past 2-3 seasons, and might be ready for a recall.

Manxmuppet
on May 2, 2014, 8:23 GMT

I'd like to see Ali given a decent run in the test team. For me, he's a genuine test batsman who can bowl well. I was gutted over the winter when he was thrown into the ODI and T20 madness (not his batting style IMHO) and then hardly bowled. He could be a genuine allrounder in the longer format of the game. He has the style, technique and temperament. Let him hone his skills in the longer format as he seems suited to this far more than the smash, bash cricket that he's been playing for Eng thus far.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 8:05 GMT

Ali isn't the first England player to be able to bowl the doosra, that title goes to Alex Loudon, although he didn't have much of an international career. 0/36 from six overs and run out without facing a ball in his one ODI.

Kerrigan is the standout candidate of the young English spinners and deserves a second chance. Imagine if Warne was dropped and never picked again after his awful first test. Agree that Ali could be promising, especially if Stokes or Woakes are picked as fourth seamers. Adil Rashid seems to be finally making some promising signs again, albeit more in the batting department than with his bowling at the moment.

NRC1979
on May 2, 2014, 7:59 GMT

Surely the identify of the England spinner in the first test of the summer depends almost entirely on whether Ben Stokes is fit or not? If fit, then he can be one of 4 seamers and then you pick the best specialist spinner (IMO Kerrigan). If he isn't fit, then you can't afford to pick a specialist spinner and risk being down to 3 bowlers if it goes wrong like against Watson and Co last summer. In such a scenario, you rely on Moeen or Borthwick to bat in the top 7 and then 4 specialist seamers.

Personally, I am always for specialists rather than bit parts, especially as the first test is in June rather than the normal damp tests in May.

TresFan
on May 2, 2014, 6:21 GMT

Nick Cook still grates on me for his poor decision last year Somerset v Warwickshire 9 down.

CodandChips
on May 2, 2014, 5:54 GMT

5 spinnners with more than 30 wickets: Kerrigan, Cosker, Ali, Rayner and Monty?

Kerrigan would be my choice front-line spinner. Borthwick could play if 4 front-line seamers are picked. Yes Borthwick bowls some dross but he takes wickets.

5 spinnners with more than 30 wickets: Kerrigan, Cosker, Ali, Rayner and Monty?

Kerrigan would be my choice front-line spinner. Borthwick could play if 4 front-line seamers are picked. Yes Borthwick bowls some dross but he takes wickets.

TresFan
on May 2, 2014, 6:21 GMT

Nick Cook still grates on me for his poor decision last year Somerset v Warwickshire 9 down.

NRC1979
on May 2, 2014, 7:59 GMT

Surely the identify of the England spinner in the first test of the summer depends almost entirely on whether Ben Stokes is fit or not? If fit, then he can be one of 4 seamers and then you pick the best specialist spinner (IMO Kerrigan). If he isn't fit, then you can't afford to pick a specialist spinner and risk being down to 3 bowlers if it goes wrong like against Watson and Co last summer. In such a scenario, you rely on Moeen or Borthwick to bat in the top 7 and then 4 specialist seamers.

Personally, I am always for specialists rather than bit parts, especially as the first test is in June rather than the normal damp tests in May.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 8:05 GMT

Ali isn't the first England player to be able to bowl the doosra, that title goes to Alex Loudon, although he didn't have much of an international career. 0/36 from six overs and run out without facing a ball in his one ODI.

Kerrigan is the standout candidate of the young English spinners and deserves a second chance. Imagine if Warne was dropped and never picked again after his awful first test. Agree that Ali could be promising, especially if Stokes or Woakes are picked as fourth seamers. Adil Rashid seems to be finally making some promising signs again, albeit more in the batting department than with his bowling at the moment.

Manxmuppet
on May 2, 2014, 8:23 GMT

I'd like to see Ali given a decent run in the test team. For me, he's a genuine test batsman who can bowl well. I was gutted over the winter when he was thrown into the ODI and T20 madness (not his batting style IMHO) and then hardly bowled. He could be a genuine allrounder in the longer format of the game. He has the style, technique and temperament. Let him hone his skills in the longer format as he seems suited to this far more than the smash, bash cricket that he's been playing for Eng thus far.

dummy4fb
on May 2, 2014, 9:30 GMT

One person not mentioned here is Adil Rashid, who has been bowling and batting well for Yorkshire over the past 2-3 seasons, and might be ready for a recall.

Alan_Gardner
on May 2, 2014, 9:54 GMT

Congratulations, statmatt and CodandChips - though, unless you have a photographic recall and memorised all those averages, statmatt, I'd have to guess you looked them up and give the bonus point to CodandChips.

@Alistair Pádraic Gray - Thanks, I'd totally forgotten about Loudon. That line has been tweaked.

Iddo555
on May 2, 2014, 10:04 GMT

The only person who could be described as a spin bowler with a 1st class record to warrant a place as a spin bowler is Kerrigan.
The rest are basically people who bat and can throw a bit of very average part time stuff down